Christina Anstead's marriage to British TV host Ant Anstead began in December 2018, following
her divorce from her first husband and HGTV co-star, Tarek El Moussa. Their relationship
seemed picture-perfect, until they shocked fans by splitting up in September 2020. Here's
what you never knew about their marriage.
Fans were shocked when real estate gurus Christina and Tarek El Moussa filed for divorce in 2017,
but neither of the Flip or Flop stars wasted time moving on. Christina first met Ant Anstead
in late 2017, about a year after her split from El Moussa. A mutual friend introduced
them, and the rest is history. On her show Christina on the Coast, Christina dished all
the details of their earliest encounter.
"Walter is a mutual friend of ours and also a motorhead just like Ant. He's also a bit
of a matchmaker. He set us up on a blind date and loves the chance to retell the story anytime
he can."
Christina wasn't kidding. Walter recalled Ant's thoughts about Christina after their
first meeting.
"I think it was just a couple days later that he said to me, 'I'm marrying that girl one
day.'"
Early on in Ant and Christina's relationship, there was no question about the love they
had for each other. In one episode of Christina on the Coast, the HGTV star dished on her
romantic first date with Ant and their whirlwind romance that followed. According to her, it
was a mere few days after their first outing that her beau shared that he loved her. The
pivotal moment went down while they were grabbing ice cream.
"It was a couple of days later that me and him were at Fashion Island eating ice cream."
"Do you mind?"
"Sorry! He looked at me and he was like, 'I love you.'"
And while moving too fast might not work for some couples, Christina had no problem with
Ant's bold move.
"It's such a sweet story."
According to Cosmopolitan, a "twin flame" is defined as, quote, "two people who were
split into different bodies but share the same soul," and that's exactly the type of
connection Ant once said he shared with Christina. He wrote on Instagram in February 2020,
"Thank you for choosing me! My twin flame."
Speaking to People, he shared why they're a perfect match. He told the publication in
October 2019,
"I think it's really weird how we have so much in common. The great thing about being
married to somebody like Christina is that we both are on the same page."
"I love that you love cars!"
The Wheeler Dealers host added that he and his wife shared a "synchronicity" that works.
Not only were the two on the same wavelength, but they shared uncanny parallels in their
careers too. Ant explained,
"She does a show with a co-host where she buys a house, fixes it and sells it, and I
have a show with a co-host where I buy a car, fix it and sell it."
He also revealed they were both penning books with publishing house Harper Collins.
Ant and Christina are one secretive duo. For months, they kept the fact they were engaged
private. Ant got down on one knee in September 2018, but, it wasn't until the following December
they went public with their big news.
According to People magazine, no one knew about the proposal aside from a few family
members. Christina told the publication,
"It's different for us now. We didn't want all the fuss. Just a quiet wedding without
all the drama and paparazzi."
In fact, the couple didn't tell most people until their wedding day. When they asked close
friends and family to gather in Newport Beach, California in December, they served up the
shock of a lifetime. Guests thought they'd be attending a housewarming party and then
the annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade, but they instead walked into a secret "winter
wonderland" wedding ceremony. The couple's impeccable attention to detail included white
accents all around, and there was boho-chic inspired decor everywhere.
The intimate affair also included their kids, marking the beginning of their adorable blended
family. Christina shares daughter Taylor and son Brayden with Tarek, while Anstead has
daughter Amelie and son Archie from a previous marriage.
Christina carried a stunning bouquet composed of white and light pink peonies, and the aisle
Christina walked down was littered with white petals. The decor from Christina's special
day also featured a stunning arbor and white chairs.
The celebration even included Christina's French bulldog, Cash, who looked thrilled
to be part of the big day. Cash wore a custom dog-sized tuxedo to help walk Christina down
the aisle.
While merging families is no easy feat, Ant and Christina figured out how to do it during
their short marriage. Ant told Entertainment Tonight that there's a "golden rule" they
followed to make things work.
"I think everybody has to be on the same page. Everybody has to be present and pulling in
the same direction. That includes Tarek, it includes my ex. If everybody wants the same
thing, and that has to be kids first."
In the same interview, he stressed the importance of prioritizing kids before all else, saying,
"If you prioritize kids first, it actually kind of falls into place and the rest of it
makes sense."
Celebrities are known for having lavish, over-the-top honeymoons, and that's exactly what Ant and
Christina enjoyed after tying the knot. The happy couple set off to the island paradise
of Bora Bora in the South Pacific, and pictures from their trip exuded extravagance from start
to finish.
As Us Weekly reported, the pair stayed in an oceanside bungalow at a luxury resort.
And in between romantic dinners and blue water dives, Christina shared some of the honeymoon
fun with her followers.
According to the publication, the television star took to Instagram with a video showing
her excitedly screaming while jumping from the edge of their private swimming pool into
the ocean water below. She told her followers that the moment was a "bucket list" item she
could now check off. Christina followed up her fun-loving video with a romantic photo
kissing Ant by the ocean, captioning the dreamy snapshot, "Magic hour."
No one knows real estate better than a Flip or Flop star, so it's no surprise that Christina
Anstead found a gem of a house to move into with Ant in Newport Beach. And despite having
completely different tastes in architecture - she's into bohemian, he's into industrial
- the pair was able to compromise.
Before signing on the dotted line for their new home, the two had a pretty clear idea
of what they were looking for. Christina told HGTV.com,
"Single level, preferably farmhouse style, and I've always loved a black-and-white home."
After moving in, they certainly packed plenty of memories into the space, both indoors and
out, with Christina saying the family was big on playing together in the backyard.
In a separate interview with Realtor.com, Christina detailed some of the decor elements
that were important to her in the space. She told the site that she went with a California
contemporary theme, with a bohemian element, adding that she incorporated a lot of black
and white, and floating shelves.
Before their split, Ant and Christina were definitely not shy about sharing their love
with the world. When holidays and anniversaries rolled around, they put the sweetest parts
of their marriage on full display, penning loving messages about one another on social
media.
Six months after tying the knot, Christina marked half a year with Ant in a message completely
devoted to him. Sharing a memory from their wedding, she wrote in the caption,
"Six months of marriage with you and look at where life has already taken us."
The real estate guru then reflected on the milestones they experienced, writing,
"Baby on the way, amazing career opportunities, travel adventures. Manifesting those vision
board goals with you is a dream."
Similarly, Ant had nothing but the sweetest things to say when Valentine's Day rolled
around. The Wheeler Dealers host took to Instagram to gush about the life he and his "twin flame"
Christina had built together, posting,
"My valentine...my wife...@christinaanstead I cannot imagine this life without you! You
lift me, ground me, inspire me, teach me, complete me and most of all love me!!"
A couple who adventures together stays together! Or so we thought. As Us Weekly shared, Christina
and Ant were known to enjoy riding bikes together, but their outdoor adventures didn't end there.
The two have embarked on both domestic and international adventures together. Notably,
they took a stab at paddle boarding while on vacation in Bora Bora for their honeymoon
in January 2019.
Christina shared photos of the ocean excursion on Instagram, reflecting on their shared adventures.
She wrote in a March 2020 post dedicated to Ant on his 41st birthday,
"We've had so many adventures in the past 2.5 years. Bike rides, UK trips, safaris,
Ireland, Cabo, Maui, new home, surprise wedding..."
In addition to sharing children from prior marriages, Ant and Christina welcomed a child
of their own in September 2019. The pair first announced they were expecting just three months
after their wedding. She wrote in an Instagram post showing a sonogram,
"[Ant] and I are so excited to announce #babyanstead coming this September!! The kids are all so
excited to meet their new sibling."
The two kept fans posted when their little bundle of joy arrived. Along with a photo
showing Christina and Ant lovingly looking down at their newborn, Christina revealed
they had welcomed a baby boy on Sept. 6, 2019.
"Ant and I are so excited to welcome Hudson London Anstead into the world. Our hearts
are SO full of love and joy! Our healthy baby boy was born this morning."
As Christina moved on with Ant, her ex, Tarek did the same with Selling Sunset star Heather
Rae Young. But it was hardly a closed chapter between Christina and her ex-husband. The
former couple share two children together, so they've had to figure out how to successfully
co-parent since their split. According to Christina, time really does heal all.
During the global pandemic in April 2020, the star spoke with People to share their
co-parenting secrets, telling the outlet,
"Tarek and I split four years ago. That's a long time. When there are tough times like
these, all of a sudden we're totally a unified front and talk and email multiple times a
day."
They may not have had a traditional family set-up, but Christina and Ant figured out
a healthy way of co-parenting with their exes while they were together.
During their short marriage, Christina was quick to say that her husband, Ant, brought
out the best in her. She was still experiencing post-marital bliss when she opened up to Us
Weekly in April 2020 and described all about the ways she's changed for the better since
meeting her beau. The Christina on the Coast host told the publication as she promoted
her book, The Wellness Remodel,
"I feel like I'm just more calm. I don't know if it's just me getting older, but things
that used to bother me, or that I used to take personally, or maybe since going through
a public divorce. I just like, really, it takes a lot to bother me nowadays. I don't
really sweat the small stuff at all and I just feel like I'm more patient."
Christina Anstead's HGTV hit Christina on the Coast offered viewers a glimpse of her
seemingly happy family life with Ant. Yet there was apparently more going on when the
cameras weren't rolling, which became clear in September 2020, when she announced they
had split up — less than two years after tying the knot. Christina wrote in an Instagram
post accompanying a photo of the two in silhouette, walking hand-in-hand on a beach at sunset,
"Ant and I have made the difficult decision to separate. We are grateful for each other
and as always, our children will remain our priority. We appreciate your support and ask
for privacy for us and our family as we navigate the future."
Fans were no doubt shocked by her news, yet there was one person who was reportedly not
surprised: Christina's ex-husband, Tarek.
"Alright. I love you. Are you ready to get this thing going, or what?"
"Let's do it."
According to an insider who spoke with Us Weekly, Tarek was "sad" to see her experience
the pain of her second marriage crumbling, but, quote, "did not think that Christina
and Ant would last."
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